Even from short range, a lie where the ball’s below your feet can cause problems. The mistake most rec players make in this situation is overly crouching or bending the knees without adjusting the position of the clubhead.
So, what you get is what you see in the below left photo: an awkward stance with the toe of the club lifted in the air. Though the lie dictates that the ball should go right, this address is a recipe for missing the green to the left.
Despite the sloping lie, your goal is to situate the club on the ground as if you’re in a flat piece of fairway. As you address the ball, make sure to bend from your hips as you get into your posture and hold the handle a bit higher, so neither the toe nor the heel of the club is off the ground (top right photo).
Position the ball forward in your stance as well. All you need to do now is make your normal swing. Works like a charm.
Debbie Doniger is director of instruction at GlenArbor GC in Bedford Hills, N.Y., and the lead female voice on SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio.
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